Am flying LAX to London, via Chicago in December on AA. Have taken the same trip twice before on AA and have a terrible time sleeping. Am considering taking a sleeping aid this time, but what to choose? I don't want to awaken groggy and dis-oriented. Any suggestions?

Ambien is perfect for the situation you have described. I find that I can wake up any time after I have taken it and not feel groggy. It is a prescription drug, so talk to your doctor about it. It comes in 5mg or 10 mg tablets. I use the 5mg myself, and figure I can always take 2 of them if necessary.

Based on my experience, its effectiveness does not seem to be based on body weight, so be sure to try it out at home one night before your trip, so you can see how you react to it.

If you do a search you will find there have been numerous previous threads on this subject.

Ambien is great. Don't take it until you get on the Chicago-London leg of your trip though. Ambien will not work if you'll only be sleeping 4 hours or so. It's meant to make you sleep 6-8 hours.

You'll be asleep about 20 minutes after you take Ambien. Also, for sleep, take soft foam ear plugs, a mask to cover your eyes and a neck pillow.

If you can't Ambien from your MD, try Melatonin. You'll find it in the "herbal remedy" section of the Rx store. It's great also.

I too have a terrible time sleeping on long flights.
We have successfully used Melatonin, but the directions are rather complicated (got them from Conde Nast). We used very low doses and started taking them a few days before our trip.
'Have also used Ambien & even Halcion (both Rx drugs). The Ambien is "lighter" (& less risky) - should help you get a few hours sleep.
Good luck.

Like Ambien, melatonin has a different effect on different people. Doesn't do much for me, even at high doses, but I have a friend who is completely knocked out by a small dose.

I have used Ambien for a 5 hour sleep and woke up with no problem and no grogginess.

Can't emphasize enough to try any medication at home before taking it on a flight. People have very different reactions to these meds.

yes, absolutely try it at home once.
The first time I tried Ambien it actually disoriented me, then I went on the website and found that is a rare side effect.

However, I have since tried Ambien, Tylenol PM, melatonin, (not together!)
on flights and nothing much works for me. Part of it is just the idea of trying to fall asleep at 9pm in an uncomfortable seat, knowing that I will have to be up 4-5 hours later. That, and the fact that I'm not a great sleeper to begin with. I always feel that if I manage even 2-3 hours of some form of sleep on a plane, it's a bonus.

Otherwise, I look for liquid caffeine when I arrive.

I've mentioned this before, but for what it is worth...

I find it helpful to shift my schedule during the week before I leave, until the day that I leave I get up around 3 AM.

This has permitted me to get some rest on the plane and arrive feeling pretty good. I can then go strong until that night (which is, after all, only about 5 or 6 PM at home).

My next trip is in early April, when Europe will already be on summer time, so the time difference (from CST) will be 6 hours instead of the usual 5.

Keith

A warning about Ambien: if you take it and then do not attempt to fall asleep (lay down and close your eyes) you will very likely experience amnesia. This has happened to me several times - I'll take the pill, and then remember something I wanted to do before going to bed and then ZAP - the next day I find evidence of some activity of which I have no recollection.

ncanavan, that's never happened to me or anyone else I know who's taken Ambien. Isn't it a bit strong to say "you will very likely experience amnesia?" Is that listed as one of the potential side effects?

I saw my doctor today and she gave me some sample packets of Sonata. I asked for Ambien from the suggestions on this site, but she seemed to think Sonata would work just as well. Anyone familiar with this sleep aid?

My doctor gave me Sonata for my trip to France in September. I took one pill and felt nothing after an hour, so I took a second. Tried to sleep but did not feel the least bit sleepy. I was pretty disappointed. Didn't sleep any more than I would have without the pills. I too asked for Ambien; I don't know why our doctors chose to substitute Sonata.

MICKFISH, why don't you try it this week and post back with the results? Curious minds are waiting to hear...

Sonata makes you sing better!

when I travel I usually take Tylenol's Simply Sleep at a half dose. I take it just prior to the 6 to 8 hours I want to sleep. I do not awake groggy and because it is totally non-addictive I feel good about using it.

Our family opinion about sleeping on planes and jetlag is to screw your system up as much as possible before you go. Stay up late, get up early. I make my kids do the same thing. If you get on the plane tired, believe me, you'll sleep. I also self-medicate with a small bottle of red wine. Your trip is tricky since you have 2 long legs.

This is no ad but one of the best things I have is a pair of Bose Quiet headphones. Not only do they shut noise out but you can hear what you want to hear...like the movie or your own music. I listen to Hawaiian music when I travel. It makes me feel so mellow, I always sleep.

travelingtedrows, I do the same thing, but we are definitely in the minority. Since I can never get myself ready to go a day ahead, despite all good intentions, it's easy to stay up half the night doing last minute packing, notes for the house/cat sitter, etc.

Yes Marilyn, Amnesia is a side effect of Ambien in some people, but mainly with longer term usage

Maybe I've had this symptom, but I just can't remember?

\/ \/

Being a former lurker, I decided to finally register. Don't know why I chose this topic to finally respond to, but that's the beauty of this site, right?

With regard to the poster who credited Ambien with amnesia, I will agree. I was prescribed Ambien some time ago and took a 5 mg dose intermittantly. I soon learned that if I read before I turned the light out, I would have no memory whatsoever of the last chapter before I went to sleep. I always had to go back the next night and reread.

This troubled me deeply until I discovered that this is a side effect. It doesn't happen always.

On my last trip to England, I had some Ambien left and I took 5 mg. after the dinner meal. I can't say that I fell deeply asleep, but it certainly relaxed me in a drowsy, but fully functional sort of way. I do plan to ask my doctor for a refill the next trip.